Slovakia’s crackdown on NGOs echoes Putin’s playbook

Slovakia’s crackdown on NGOs echoes Putin’s playbook

Russia’s infamous foreign agent law has prompted a wave of imitators in Eastern Europe – most recently in Slovakia.

Slovakia Confronts Its NGOs

Emerged from a near-fatal shooting, exasperated with liberal anti-democratic excesses, and emboldened by a new sheriff in Washington, Fico and allies have brought their battle against NGOs to parliament. Slovakia has become a fascinating player in European geopolitics. In 2023, Robert Fico prevailed in parliamentary elections and began his fourth term as prime minister. Last year, in a precursor to events in the United States, Fico survived an a…